Charles McClelland Named New Texas Southern Athletics Director

HOUSTON, TX, April 10, 2008 – Texas Southern University (TSU) President John Rudley announced today that current Prairie View A & M (PVAMU) Athletics Director Charles McClelland has been selected to lead the TSU athletics program. “I believe this is a great opportunity for me to use my expertise and knowledge to enhance the athletics program at TSU,” said McClelland. “I am honored and excited about being of part of the school’s new era and I believe strongly in the vision President Rudley has for the University.”

During his seven year tenure at PVAMU, McClelland improved the competitiveness of the University’s 18 sports and increased athletic grant-in-aid to the maximum allowed by the NCAA for Division I programs. Under McClelland’s leadership, the athletics program at PVAMU received the school’s first-ever Southwestern Athletic Conference C.D. Henry Award, symbolic of overall excellence among the SWAC’s male sponsored sports. During the 2006-07, the PVAMU Athletics program finished in second place for the Dr. James Frank Commissioner’s Cup Award, symbolic of overall excellence among its sponsored sports and third for the Barbara Jacket-Sadie Magee Award, symbolic of overall excellence among its female sponsored sports. Both finishes marked the highest by the PVAMU athletics department in 16 years.

Other improvements included the implementation of an incentive pay structure for coaches, the establishment of an athletics scholarship endowment that collected over $500,000 in donations, the addition of women’s soccer, a new football practice field and new athletic building. Over a 5 year period, McClelland secured over $1.8 million in corporate sponsorships to help support the PVAMU athletics program.

“McClelland accomplished great things during his tenure at Prairie View, taking their athletics program to the next level,” said President Rudley. “I’m confident he will do the same at TSU and I anticipate that our students, faculty and alumni will share my excitement and welcome him into the TSU family.”
McClelland is a native of Jackson, Miss, and a two-time graduate of Prairie View A&M, receiving his bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1993 and an MBA in 1997. McClelland also serves on the board of directors of the Houston Touchdown Club where he is currently serving a two-year term as president of the organization. He was recently re-elected by fellow SWAC athletic directors to serve as chairman of the SWAC Council of Athletic Directors for another (2) year term. McClelland’s most recent appointment was to the NCAA Management Council for a term of 4 years.